Film reel assembly

Abstract

A film reel assembly is disclosed which comprises parallel flanges with a cylindrical hollow hub disposed therebetween. The flanges define adjacent their axis of rotation a keyway within which a removable core member may be inserted, the core member defining a bore for the reception of an axis of rotation for the film reel. The core member has a specific cross-sectional configuration and the keyways define an identical and complementary configuration to accept the core member. The core member includes stop members located on one of its radiating arms that retains the core member in position within the keyway. The core member may be removed from the remainder of the film reel and replaced when it is too worn to be serviceable. A further feature of the film reel comprises an arcuate film-retaining slot disposed radially inward of the hub, with tapering periphery to frictionally engage the leading edge of the film strip as it is being initially threaded.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A film reel assembly comprising: A. generally parallel positioned spaced apart reel flanges,   B. a cylindrical hollow hub extending between said flanges and having an axial slot for the leading end of a film strip.   C. a removable core member adapted to be positioned coaxially within said hub, supported by and between said flanges and having an axial bore for engaging a rotating axis,   D. each of said flanges defining a keyway for the frictional reception of said core member, said keyways axially aligned with each other and having cross-sectional configurations identical and dimensionally complementary to that of said core member, and   E. stop means disposed for communication between said core member and said keyways to releaseably retain said core member in position with said hub.   
     
     
       2. The film reel assembly of claim 1 wherein said core member has a generally cylindrical shape and defines in cross-section four regularly spaced radiating ridges each of said ridges defined by three perpendicular flat faces, three of said ridges identical in dimension and the fourth ridge larger therein, and said stops comprise radially inwardly biasing arms defining outwardly projecting cleats adapted to releasably abut with the interior lateral edges of said keyways. 
     
     
       3. The film reel assembly of claim 1 wherein said hub comprises a cylindrical sleeve that is adhesively attached to said flanges. 
     
     
       4. The film reel assembly of claim 1 wherein said keyways comprise axially inward projecting collars defined by said flanges, said collars terminating in said interior lateral edges. 
     
     
       5. The film reel assembly of claim 1 wherein said stops are in axial alignment with each other. 
     
     
       6. The film reel assembly of claim 1, wherein said stop means comprises releaseable, biasing stops located on a peripheral surface of said core member and adapted to abut with said keyways at the inboard axial edges thereof. 
     
     
       7. The film reel assembly of claim 1, wherein said assembly includes generally peripherally tapered, arcuate slots located in said flanges in axial alignment with each other and radially inboard of said hub to receive and frictionally retain within said tapered periphery the end of said film inserted through said axial slot. 
     
     
       8. The film reel assembly of claim 7 wherein said arcuate slots subtend an arc of about 90°. 
     
     
       9. The film reel assembly of claim 7 wherein said arcuate slots are disposed with the median point of their arcs adjacent said axial slot.